Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-26
DIAMOND CUTTING m LONDON.
The Enorm0us AusOunt Paid fer Dio.
ms0nds by Americans.

From the London Timea
The public are probably not aware Of the exten
TO which diamond cutting has been revived In
London. Nearly 200 years ago Engllshmen were
the finest diamond cutters In the world. the trade
being nearly all carried on IN London, and at the
present time old English-cut diamonds VIII always
fetch very high price, as the cutting Is still 30
much priced.
Through religious persecution the cutters mi
grated to Amsterdam, where they have since re-
manned. At the time when the African diamond
fields were discovered there was only one diamond
cutter In London Dutenm len, were accordingly
till Friday sunset and they were TO receive c1O q
week each man. They struck several times sue
msnded SIS is per- Week eseI man they wess
charged chi and English gem cutters were put at the
At frst the Rngshmen were only able after a
deal OF trouble TO cut e class OF diamond in one
month which they could now cut In about four
days As soon as it was clearly proved that Eng
lishmen had once more gained the art, the Wor-
shipful Company OF Turner'S decided to give English
cutters every encouragement, and have, with the
valuable assistance OF the Baroness and Mr. Bur
against the Dutch for the best-cut diamonds After
several contests the Englishmen gained the first
Up to the end OF 1886 out Of four OF the principal
mines OF South Africa-namely, Kimberley, De
Beers, Bultfontein, and Du Totts Pan, no less
six and a half tons weight) have been extracted
realizing about Gao, 600, 900. The diamonds now
discovered are nearly ali found In British posses
slons-namely Africa and India. Yet the vast
majority OF the stones are still sent to foreign
countries to be cut and polished which every Eng
Of the greatest secrets connected with the trade
consists in the one word patience there is an I'M
mense 1eld for the employment OF women. AS a
Tionds in the world, and It Is to London that
America goes for her fnest-cut diamonds. The
last oS1 was that
annually from England.
Diamonds Native to tho United States.
George F. Kunz in Harper's Magazine for December.
Diamonds have occasionally been found at
number OF localities In the United States; but the
crystals are of infrequent occurrence and never in
sufficient quantities to warrant any extended min
ing for them. The tots. number found is not more
than two hundred. The largest authenticated
diamond crystal was found opposite Richmond, al
engaged in grading the streets Its original weight
was 23k carats, but 1t had large flaw in one side
and had been injured by the finder putting it into
After cutting, 1t weighed lIA carats 1t passed
into the hands Of Captain Samuel Dewey, and was
by him named the "OntnoOr," or Sea OF Light.
TO Its poor color and other imperfectons 1t proba-
bly, is not worth more than 10 per cent OF that
amount today. number Of diamonds weighing
carat each have been found In North Carolina,
at various times from 1S46 up to the present time
They are usually found in the gold washings asso-
debris is usually the result Of the Old rneissod
and perhaps, the decomposed peridotite rocks. A
diamond weighing Al carats was found on the
County, n c., in the summer Of 1886, by the
twelve-year- old Willie Christie. who was sitting at
spring. and saw "a pretty Trick about g feet
1t home and laid it on shelf. Only after two
weeks did he think OF taking 1t to any for iden
tihcation 1t was then sent TO New YORK for valua-
: nyYif a int xyfstn
gray tint. These facts were authenticated by the
writer on the spot. A number OF small stones have
In Georgia, most OF them in the gold washings Of
Hall County. Here about forty diamonds have been
found, many OF which were OF fine quality. These
diamonds are usually met with In the refuse Of
suce-boxes and "long TOMS used in mining
operations. California has furnished them In
many localities Professor F. WOehler, OF Got
tflgen, Germany, discovered microscopic diamonds
in the platinum sands OF the Trinity River, and in
all the northern counties of the State drained by
the Trinity River; also in Coosa Bay, oregon, and
In Smith River, Del NOrte County. Instances have
occurred where fragments OF broken diamonds
have appeared among the debris cleaned from the
Cherokee Flat since 1853 from ffty to sixty
diamonds have been found, the largest one weigh
ing ~ carats, some OF them rose-colored, some
yellow. and some white. The highest price that
rough IS $500.
The probable origin of the South African dia-
mond Is explained by Cohen, Roscoe, and Lewis az
derived from an eruptive rock which was forced
through beds OF carbonaceous shale, thoroughly
breaking up the carbon so that IL was dissent
mated through the volcanic rock from the size OF
pin point TO large masses. This heating OF the
Shale had released as Roscoe found, volatile
hydrocarbon, from which he thinks the diamond
was formed. A similar volcanic rock, containing
acarbonaceous shale, was found in Elliott County,
NY, BY Mr. 8. Diller; and the possibility Of dia-
mohds being found there was suggested by Prot
Carvfll Lewis and led to systematic search by
Mr. Diller and the writer, under mission from the
United states Geological survey. Diamonds were
not found, and the shale was found TO contain
only las as much carbon as the South African
rock. Still there Is possibility that the erupttve
rock may have penetrated richer layers OF the
bOniferOuS and DevOnian rocks elsewhere.
Sam HOusfOn's secret.